


Smelling Like Roses

by jujukittychick



Series: LJ tamingthemuse prompts [16]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Scoobies, Community: tamingthemuse, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-24
Updated: 2014-05-24
Packaged: 2018-01-26 08:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1680839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jujukittychick/pseuds/jujukittychick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spike and Xander bond over their dislike of Angel</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smelling Like Roses

**Author's Note:**

> Spike and Dru stuck around after the Acathla mess and Buffy and Willow found out what Xander did right away.
> 
> Prompt: tamingthemuse #298 -Covet
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the computer I'm typing this on and am making no money. Buffy belongs to its respective creators and owners who *are* making money off them. I'm just doing this for my own fun and entertainment; in general, if you recognize something, I don't own it.

"It's so easy to hate him, isn't it?"  
  
A grunt and a plume of spoke drifting into the dark was his only answer.  
  
"I mean, look at him - perfect clothes, perfect hair, perfect body and the perfect lines to feed to the girls. Add in the tortured artist and mission to redeem himself and how are you supposed to compete?"  
  
The final flare of a cigarette cherry as it falls to ash on the ground and another plume of smoke slowly exhaled is the reply.  
  
"And it doesn't matter how much evil he's done, they just look right past that, but God forgive if you screw up just once or bend the truth just enough to make them do what has to be done to save the world, then  _you're_  the bad guy.  Forget all the countless, pointless, gruesome deaths, he's got 'soulful brown eyes.'  And the worst part is, you can't kill him because the girls will hate you for the rest of your life...however long they let you live it after that."  
  
The cigarette is ground into the asphault by a boot clad foot right next to his leg and an accented voice floats down to his ears.  "Shoulda gagged ya.  You talk an awful lot for someone that's been taken captive.  Shouldn't ya be pleading for your worthless life or sommat?"  
  
Xander tipped his head back to look up at his bleached blonde captor, about the only part of him he could freely move with the way he was trussed up.  "Would it do any good?"  
  
A considering look from sapphire blue eyes. "Hmph, not really, no."  
  
"So, since it won't do any good, why bother?  Might as well complain to someone who will actually agree with what I say for a change."  A question asked with one sharply raised darker blonde eyebrow... it was kind of hard to shrug in answer though when your arms were tied at every joint and then tied to your body as well.  "Your Dru, I've heard her going on and on about her precious 'Daddy' and how much she wants him back.  And Giles has told us some of the stories of what 'Daddy' dearest did to the two of you back in the day before the curse... and how you've been the one to look after and protect the two of you since he left you.  But she doesn't care about that does she?  Not really.  Nothing you... I... _we_  do will ever measure up to their perfect fucking Angelus, will it?  He tortures and kills family and friends and still comes out smelling like roses while we're the evil ones for doing what we have to do to make sure the ones we love and care about are protected."  
  
"You tryin' to make me let you go by playin' all sympathetic to me?  And what did ya do anyway that's got the Slayer's knickers in a twist?"  
  
"No, I figure you're either gonna kill me or not and nothing I say is really gonna affect that... honestly, I'm surprised I've made it this long." Xander fell over sideways from his attempt to shrug that time.  Luckily a strong pair of black denim encased legs were there for him to fall against instead of the nasty road in the alley they were tucked in.  "And you didn't know?  It's part of how Angel isn't Angelus anymore, and you'd think that would be a good thing, but  _nooooo_.  Buffy and Deadboy were fighting it out in front of Acathla and Willow'd tried doing the whole re-souling spell thing already but it didn't work, not enough juice or something, who knows, but there she is in the hospital, with massive head trauma and she's determined to save his damn soul.  She's like my sister, and she's trying to kill herself over a vampire that's trying to end the whole world just so Buffy wouldn't have to watch the man she loves die.  So there I am, watching the fight, and Angelus isn't letting up and Buffy's not fighting like she should be 'cause she keeps thinking Willow's gonna pull off the spell and make everything better and meanwhile that Acathla thing is spinning and glowing, so... so I did what I thought was the best to save Buffy and me and Willow and the whole fucking  _world_.  I lied through my damn teeth.  I told her that Willow said to 'kick his ass' and she believed me, 'cause why would I lie about that, you know?  So she does it, she runs the sword through him and shoves him through the portal and it closes, apocalypse averted once more and we can all live happy ever after... but not."  
  
Cool fingers rested on top of his unruly hair for a minute before absently starting to card through the fine strands.  "Lemme guess; they started cryin' to each other and found out you lied?"  
  
"Yeah, pretty much.  The worst part of it, at least for me, was that Willow managed to do the spell, apparently right before he fell into hell.  Guess how well that went over when he told everyone after he managed to get his ass out of there.  Not only was I the bad guy for 'making' her send him to hell in the first place, but I made her send hin to hell with a soul to be tortured for centuries.  They just seem to have conveniently forgotten the part about him wanting to kill us all after torturing us mercilessly and actually killing Mrs. Calendar and all those other people.  Hell even Giles has more or less forgiven him and he was tortured by him.  But  _I'm_  the bad guy; I'm 'acting out of jealousy.'  I feel like I'm the only sane one in the bunch anymore.  Maybe I was really the one that fell into some kind of hell dimension and everything here's just all weird and backwards."  
  
"Nah, it's not you, pet, 'less I fell in with ya, that is.  Been dealin' with that with my Dark Princess for over a century.  Angelus tortured her through her family, drove her to be as batty as she is.  Hell, tortured the both of us regularly until the gypsies got ahold of him, left us chained and bleedin' near to dust more than once, and yet she still cries for her 'Daddy.'  Bloody fuckin' annoying it is. Who was it that patched her back up after he finished with her, made sure she had enough blood to heal back up, made sure she had clothes and a safe place to stay after he and Darla abandoned us? Me, her Childe, the one she should be lookin' out for if Angelus hadn' driven her 'round the twist. But does she ask for me, does she want my attention?  No, the bloody hell she doesn't."  
  
Fingers clenched in his hair, tugging a gasp out of him and Xander leaned into the grasp, trying to take the pressure off while trying to ignore the strange tingle he felt go through him at the action.  "Buffy blames me, Willow blames me, all of them seem to just be trying to forget I even exist.  Do you really think they trust me to go patroling by myself without getting myself killed?  It's just that none of them want to be around me.  I've been fighting next to them since we first met and since I don't have any special powers, since I'm just  _normal_ , I'm obviously jealous of Deadboy and out to get him.  So they send me out on my own and don't even worry if I'll come back alive.  How do you think you grabbed me so easy?"  
  
"Was wonderin' where the rest of you little Slayerettes were.  Thought mebbe you were bait in a trap.  Those two snoggin' in the shadows kinda killed that idea. Now I'm left wonderin' what to do with ya. If what ya been sayin' is true, they're not gonna be carin' what I do t' ya."  
  
"Well, you could always let me go.  Not like I'm gonna tell them about this, and I don't really like the idea of dying or, you know, becoming dinner, though of the two, dinner would be preferable, but you know, only if you leave me with enough to still get around afterwards."  
  
"Mebbe I could at  that .'Course could always turn ya, pretty enough treat you are with those big dark eyes.  And would be nice to have someone else around that can see things as they really are."  
  
Xander meeped at the 'pretty' comment, wondering if the vampire meant it like he thought he did.  Of course the idea of becoming a vamp wasn't too thrilling an idea either.  "Um, I vote no on the turning, 'cause I kinda like the sun and not giving Buffy any more reason to hunt me down and kill me for real.  And I don't know if Willow would be able to do the soul spell again or if they'd just decide to go ahead and dust me."  
  
A husky laugh drifted down to him as well as the fingers once more combing through his hair, leaving him feeling kinda like the pet the vampire kept calling him. "Nah, don' think I'll be turnin' ya, I like your spirit.  'Course don' mean I can't keep ya 'round.  Mebbe make ya my pet in truth?  Bet ya you'd like it."  
  
"What?!" No, his voice didn't squeak like that, there was a mouse in the alley somewhere.  "I'm not a pet, I'm a boy... man... person." He was starting to sound like Pinnochio.  
  
There was that laugh again and it was sending those same strange tingles through him that the tug on his hair had.  "Oh, I think you'd like it well enough.  I'd take care of ya, make sure you had everything you could need or want.  Get you into some decent clothes that don't blind me from just lookin' at ya.  Then again, could jus' keep ya naked.  Train ya up, teach ya how to defend yourself properly."  Those slim fingers gripped his chin, tipping his head up as the lithe body knelt down next to him, bringing them within biting distance.  "I can guarantee you, pet, I won't take you for granted."  
  
Xander was frozen, staring into deep sapphire blue eyes, wondering absently if he was being put into thrall.  Everything the vamp... Spike... offered, wasn't it everything he'd ever wanted, to be cared for, trained, treated as an equal.  But, he'd give up on everything he'd been fighting for these past couple of years.  How could he give in to being a vampire's play thing after fighting to wipe them out.  
  
He felt the ropes fall away from him, sliced by sharp claws, and blinked in surprise.  "I can see the answer in your eyes, pet.  I know where t' find ya, you just think about it for a bit, yeah?"  
  
"You're... you're letting me go?"   
  
"Am a vampire, pet, half the fun is in the chase.  'Sides, I know what decision you'll make in the end.  'Less your friends come around that is."  
  
A swish of leather and the blonde had stood and made his way to the end of the alley.  "Spike... I can't... I can't say yes."    
  
"I know you can't yet... Xander.  I'll be lookin' out for ya.  Stay out of the graveyards at night, ya?"  
  
And he was gone, and Xander was left sitting in a dirty alleyway watching Buffy and Angel making out as if they didn't have a care in the world while he felt his own world spinning out of control.  
  


.oOo.

  
The next night a box of chocolates with his name on it was waiting on his front porch.  
  
The night after was a leather jacket that fit him perfectly and smelled of cigarettes.  
  
The gifts continued, night after night, sometimes minor, sometimes impressively expensive, sometimes practical, but still they came.  He'd always heard the term "wooing" and now he was beginning to understand what exactly that meant.  
  
And Buffy gave him angry looks and wouldn't speak to him.  And Giles ignored him as much as he always had though the cutdowns were so much more biting.  And Willow, his sister in all but blood, she wouldn't look at him, wouldn't talk to him.  And the bullies realized that there was noone standing in their way of pummeling him anymore.  
  
And his "friends" sent him out alone to patrol.  And the demons ignored him.  And the vampires ignored him. And he went home healthy and whole and not covered in slime.

  
.oOo.

A month later Spike opened the warehouse door and welcomed in the boy that would become his treasured pet and companion, remaining by his side through oncoming apocalypses, Slayers, and crazy Sires.  
  
Xander eventually got used to the collar.


End file.
